Draft gear for push cars



June 20, 1950 J. w. M PEcK DRAFT GEAR FOR PUSH CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 23, 1947 June 20, 1950 .1. w. MCPECK 2,512,110

DRAFT GEARFOR PUSH CARS Filed Sept. 23, 1947 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 if? in Wad/i b Patented June 20, 1950 DRAFT GEAR FOB. PUSH cans: James W. McPeck, Hereford, Ariz. Application September 23, 1947'; Serial No-.f775,586

11 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in draft gear for use on railway push cars and like trailer vehicles, which include an automatic brake setting device.

The several objects of the invention are to provide a draft gear which includes automatic brake setting means and which: includes a mounting for the draft gear which is adapted to be readily applied to push cars of standard construction; is adapted for connection to and for actuating standard brake equipment on such cars; includes a draw bar which is slidably retained in true alignment by rigid guides'fixed on the mounting; is adapted to be easily disconnected from and connected to the brakes on the car; includes thrust devices between the draw bar and the mounting for rendering the brakesinoperable by the draw bar; is simple in construction and light in weight; can be installed on push cars of standard construction at a low cost; includes simple and eflicient devices for rendering the brake means inoperative by the draw bar when desired; and other objects which will appear from the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel feae tures hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

' In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective of the draft gear, the end sill to which it is adapted to be applied being illustrated by dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, one end of the push car being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a section illustrating one of the dust guards for the guide rods for the draw-bar structure.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 2

Fig. 3 is a plan of the draft gear, parts being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail of the plate of the mounting on which the fulcrum link for the brake operating lever is supported; and

Fig. 6 is a detail of the pivotal support for one of the locking bars for preventing automatic operation of the brake.

The invention is exemplified as applied to a push car of standard construction, which usually includes an end sill b, a deck 0 and carrying wheels a, all of which may be of usual or standard construction.

The mounting for the draft gear is ada ted-to be demountably and rigidly secured to the end sill b of the push car. This mounting comprises an outer plate II] which is adaptedto abut and fit against the outer face of the end sill b; an inner plate 'II which is adapted to abut and fit againstthe inner face of said end sill; a pair of sleeves i2 which extend through and are welded inv plate It and extendthrough holes in plate II and project rearwardly therefrom; clamping collars I4 which are screw threaded to the pro-1- jecting inner ends of sleeves I2 and. are adapted to clamp the end sill b between plates IO and I I to support the entire draft gearsfrom said :sil1.: A central sleeve I6 is welded in outer'mounting plate land is adapted to extend through end sill b and mounting plate I I for slidably guiding the stem of the draw bar hereinafter described. A brace plate I3 is welded to the inner. face of plate and supports .the inner end of sleeve I6. In applying this mounting to the push car, holes are drilled inthe end sill for the passage.therethrough of sleeves I2 and I6. This construction, provides a mounting for the draft gear which'is demountably clamped and rigidly secured to they end sill b of the push car. i I The .draw bar, generally designated I9, is pro-r videdwith an eye 20 at its outer end for a coupling pin by which the push car. may be com nected to the draw bar on a motor car and in c1udes;;a stem I8 which is slidably mounted in the sleeve I6 whichis welded to the outer mount-'- ing-"plate I0.;"Adjacent eye 20,.stem I8 extends.

through'the vertical flange of a transverse bar 22 which. is: angular. in-cross section. Stem I8 is welded as at24lin the vertical flange of transverse bar 22 so that said bar is slidable with the' draw bar I9. A coil spring 25 around stem' la extends between outer mounting plate In and transverse bar '22 which is-iiaed to the draw bar I9 and-is compressible by inward thrust exerted a; on the draw bar so that the sliding movements to theinnerends" or rods'fl which project from" 3 the sleeves l2. Nuts 29 abut against the inner ends of sleeves l2 and limit the outward movement of the draw bar by spring and are set on rods 21 to maintain spring 25 under predetermined compression.

A brake actuating lever 3| has its upper end pivotally connected at 32 to the inner end of draw bar stem 18 and is fulcrumed at 33 on a fulcrum link 34. The lower end of lever 3| is pivotally connected to a brake actuating rod 30. Fulcrum link 34 is pivotally connected at 35 to lug 38 which is welded to a bracket 31 which is formed of plate metal and :has an upstanding flange which is welded'to'the lower edge of inner mounting plate ll so that the brake shifting lever and.

its fulcrum link will be supported by the draft gear and its mounting.

At times it is necessary to back the push car and then it is desirable to eliminateth'e automatic setting of the brakes lby -inward thrust'on the draw bar l9. For this purpose a pair of pivoted thrust bars 40 are provided which when placed in operative position form struts between transverse bar 22 on thedraw bar ;and outer mounting plate I0. These, thrnst'bars areloosely pivoted 0n U-shapedlugs42 the legs of which are welded to theouterjface of transverse .bar 22 so that the thrust bars maybesuspencled in an inoperative position at :theouter: side of transverse bar 22.oriswungintotoperative position between transversebar22 and. mounting plate 1!]. Ueshapedlugs 45 are welded to the outer. face of plate In forholding. the distalaends-of thrustbars 40 inoperative position. .Each thrust bar '40 is provided with an integral shoulder 46 which when the bar is in its operative position is adapted to abut against the inner face of the vertical flange of transverse bar 22 so that the collars Hand-29 are detached-fromsleeves-=l2 and ilever 3-l is uncoupled from stem [8' of the draw -bar. Sleeves l2-and l6 are then passed through the holes in the end-sill b untilthe mounting plate 1 0 abuts against the outer face of the sill. Plate H isthen slipped overlsleeves l2 and I6 and and, moved against-the \inneriace of ,end sill b. Collars 14 are thenscrewedponto.

sleeves [2 until the end .sill b is, securely, clamped between plates l0 and H. Rods Z'Iarethen slipped through sleeves l2 andstem l8 ex tended through sleeve "5 with the spring 25 around stem l8. Nuts 29 are then screwed,, onto the inner ends of rods 27 and the nuts when tightened will subject spring 25 .to the desired degree of compression. The upper end of the brake actuating lever 3l will'then be connected bypin 32 to the inner-end ofthe draw bar stem and the mounting of the draft gear on the .push car will be completed. When itis desired to remove the draftgear for replacement orrepair,

it can be demounted from the push car by unscrewing collars 14 and 29 Land disconnecting lever 31 from stem l8.

The operation will be as follows: During the normal operation of the push car when automatic braking is desired, and there is a tendency of the push car to over-run; the push car spring 25 will be compressed by transverse bar 22, and the draw bar. The stem l8 of the draw bar will slide inwardly in sleeve I6 and rock lever 3| to set the brakes. During this operation, rods 21 will slidably and rectilinearly guide the draw bar. The thrust bars 40 will then be suspended in front of angle bars 22, 23. When automatic braking is not desired, bars 40 will be swung so their distal ends will be confined in U-shaped sockets 44 so they will abut against mounting ,plate l0 and bar 22 and prevent the draw bar' from compressing spring 25 and the sliding of! the. stem .lflinsleeve l B.

Theinvention exemplifies draft gear for a push:

car which includes automatic brake setting when the draftggear issubjected to inward thrust and. which includes a mounting which is adapted to: bereadily applied to and installed on the push car.

In practice, it is desirable to apply a lubricant to the rods :21 for their free sliding-movement inthe sleeves d2. In-order to prevent foreign material, such as, dirt and grit from being raccumulatecl on the rods 2! whileth'e'car is being loaded -or unloaded, dust guards 450i channeled cross-section, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 2 1, have their-front ends welded to the inner' face of the bar '22 and extend over rods Z-Tzand'depend around their sides. These guards prevent theaccumulation of-dirt and grit on -the lubricated exposedportions of "said-rods.

The invention also exemplifies a unitary mountingfor thedmW-bar and the brake actuating lever which-facilitates "the installation of the draft gear'on the car.

The invention also exemplifies a construction in which the draw bar :is'securely and-slidably: supported for'rectilinear movement in th'e rnounting.

The invention also exemplifies drait gear- 0f this type which is simple-in construction, is formed mainly from wrought or plate metal and rods or tubing and which maybe fabricated at a low cost.

The invention is not-to= beunderstood as limited to the details Set forthsince these may be modified within the scopeof-the appended claims without departing from the spirit -.and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is new and -desire to-secure-by- Letters. Patent is:

Draft gear fora push-car provided withan end sill, comprising: a transversely-extending plate adapted to abut against a side face of thesill, a-sleeve fixed-to said-plate and extending; through the sill, means for securing said plateon the sill, a drawbar provided "with a stem extending through and slidablysupportedin said-sleeve, a transverse bar rigid with the drawbar, a spring betweenthe plate-and--the transverse bar compressible =by inward thrust on the drawbar, and a pair oflocking bars between tlreplate and the transverseibarior :selectively looking the 'drawbar v gainst inward :sliding 11101161 ment in the sleeve.

2. Draftgear for a pushcar. provided with an end sill, comprising: a pair 'Ofpiates adapted, tofabut against opposite-side faces of the :sill, a sleeve secured to one of the platesand extending through the $111 and the other 'df s'a'id' erm ne plates, maseiar isaelsg tii' piate on the sill, a drawbar provided with, a slidable stemextending through the plates sand the sill-,atrans- {verse ;1bar. fixed to the drawbanwa rod fixed to the; transverse bar and extending through; and slidable in the sleeve, a springbetweenrthe "plate and the transverse bar Wmpressible byyinward thrust, on-the drawbar, and, means between the transversebar and the plate for selectively locb ms he -,.dra bar a ain ni a dzas1idinerm v fi fl 3; Draftgearfor a push car providedwith an d ummaris n a pa t-n iap d to abu eeainst the. o osi e s deat o th si slee szt see i d t o o th p ate extending through the sill and the other of said plates, means for clamping the plates on the sill, a drawbar provided with a slidable stem extending through the plates and the sill, a transverse bar fixed to the drawbar, rods fixed to the transverse bar and extending through and slidable in the sleeves, a spring between one of the plates and the transverse bar compressible by inward thrust on the drawbar, and means between the transverse bar and one of the plates for selectively locking the drawbar against inward sliding movement.

4. Draft gear for a push car including an end sill, comprising; a pair of mounting plates adapted to abut against the side faces of the sill, a sleeve secured to one of the plates and extending through the sill and the other plate, means for clamping the plates on the sill, a draw bar provided with a stem extending through and slidable in the plates, a transverse bar fixedly secured to the drawbar, a rod fixedly secured to the transverse bar and extending through and slidable in said sleeve, a spring between one of the mounting plates and the transverse bar, means on the inner end of the rod for limiting the outward movement of the draw bar by the spring, and means for selectively locking the draw bar against sliding movement.

5. Draft gear for a push car including an end sill; comprising; a pair of mounting plates adapted to abut against the side faces of the sill, a pair of sleeves secured to one of the plates and extending through the sill and the other plate, means on said sleeves for clamping the plates on the sill, a slidable draw bar provided with a, stem extending through said sill and said plates, a transverse bar fixedly secured to the draw bar, rods fixed to said transverse bar and extending through and slidable in said pair of sleeves, a, spring between one of the mounting plates and the tranverse bar, means on the inner ends of the rods for limiting the outward movement of the draw bar by the spring, and means between the transverse bar and one of the mounting plates for selectively locking the draw bar against sliding movement.

6. Draft gear for a, push car including an end sill, comprising; a pair of mounting plates adapted to abut against the side faces of the sill, a pair of sleeves secured to one of the plates and extending through the sill and the other plate, means on said sleeves for clamping the plates against the sill, a slidable draw bar provided with a stem extending through the sill and said plates, a transverse bar fixed to the draw bar adjacent its outer end, rods fixed to said transverse bar and extending through and slidable in said pair of sleeves, a spring between one of the mounting plates and the transverse bar, means on the inner ends of the rods for limiting the outward mdvemenr of the draw bar-by the spring, means betweenthe transverse bar and one of the mounting plates for selectively looking the draw bar against sliding movement.

7-. Draft gear for a push car including an end sill, --'comprising;' a" pair of mounting plates adapted to abut against the side faces of the sill," apairof sleeves secured'to one of the plates and extending through the sill and the other plate, means on saidsleeves "for clamping the plates against the sill, another sleeve fixed to one of the mounting plates extending through the sill and the 'othe'rmounting plate, a draw bar provided'with a stem extending. through andslidable in said last named sleeve, a transverse bar fixed to the draw bar adjacent its outer end, rods fixed to said transverse bar and extending through and slidable in said pair of sleeves, a spring between one of the mounting plates and the transverse bar, means on the inner ends of the rods for limiting the outward movement of the draw bar by the spring, and means between the transverse bar and one of the mounting plates for selectively locking the draw bar against sliding movement.

8. Draft gear for a push car including an end sill, comprising; a mounting plate adapted to abut against one of the side faces of the sill, means for securing the plate on the sill, a draw bar provided with a steam slidably supported in the mounting plate, a transverse bar fixed to the draw bar adjacent its outer end, a spring between the mounting plate and the transverse bar, means for limiting the outward movement of the draw bar by the spring, a locking bar pivotally supported on the transverse bar, and a U-s-haped holding member for the locking bar fixed on the mounting plate.

9. Draft gear for a, push car including an end sill, comprising; a mounting plate adapted to abut against one of the side faces of the sill, means for securing the plate on the sill, a draw bar provided with a stem slidably supported in the mounting plate, a transverse bar fixed to me draw bar adjacent its outer end, a spring between the mounting plate and the transverse bar, means for limiting the outward movement of the draw bar by the spring, locking bars pivotally supported by the transverse bar, and U- shaped holding members for the locking bars fixed on the mounting plate.

10. Draft gear for a push car including an end! sill, comprising; a mounting plate adapted to abut against one of the side faces of the sill, means for securing the plate on the sill, va draw bar provided with a stem slidably supported in the mounting plate, a transverse bar fixed to the draw bar adjacent its outer end, a spring between the mounting plate and the transverse bar, means for limiting the outward movement of the draw bar by the spring, and locking bars at the sides of the draw bar, pivots for the looking bars fixed on the transverse bar, and U- shaped holding members for the locking bars on the mounting plate, the bars being provided with abutments for engaging the transverse bar and the mounting plate.

11. Draft gear for a push car including an end sill, comprising a pair of mounting plates adapted to abut against the side faces of the sill, a pair of sleeves secured to one of the plates and extending through the sill and the other plate, means on said sleeves for clamping the plates against the sill, a draw bar provided with a stem extend- 

